1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a clamp-like electrical connector. More specifically, the invention relates to a connector clamp which is mounted at one end of a conductor cable, for example, a conductor clamp for a battery booster cable.
2. Description of Prior Art
Conductor clamps for booster cables are known in the art as illustrated in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,267,452, Wolf, Aug. 16, 1966, U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,772, Johnson, III, May 22, 1984, U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,791, Ledbetter, June 12, 1984, U.S. Pat. No. 4,620,767, Woolf, Nov. 4, 1986, U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,563, LeBlanc, Feb. 3, 1987.
In all of the illustrated references, the clamps include two jaw members which are pivotally attached to each other. The jaw members extend to handles, and the jaws are spring biased towards each other. In the operation of the illustrated devices, the handles are pressed together to open the jaws and the jaws are then placed around a terminal. The handles are then released whereby the spring forces the jaws against the terminals. For example, in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,267,452, the jaws 13 and 14 extend to handles 10 and 11 respectively. Springs 17, 18 biases the jaws towards each other.
It is well known that the connector clamps of the prior art are subject to slippage and are therefore inconvenient in use. In addition, because the springs of the prior art clamps are in a permanently biased position, the spring tends to loosen in time so that the clamps are no longer useful.
In addition, in the prior art clamps, there is a permanent electrical connection between the jaw members and the cables extending from the handles. Thus, considering once again the U.S. Pat. No. 3,267,452, when the clamps 41 and 43 are connected to a battery as shown in FIG. 5, then the clamps 40 and 44 are live. If someone inadvertently held the two clamps by their electrical conductive portions, then they would get a shock. Also if the clamps 40 and 44 came together inadvertently, then they would spark and discharge the battery.